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Reading 1/1:
[1] The value of a college education has received a great deal of attention lately. There is little doubt that going to college offers a substantial economic payoff. On average, college graduates earn
quite a bit more than those without a diploma, and their level of unemployment is only about half as high. US Census studies suggest that a college degree nearly doubles lifetime earnings.[2] However, challenges arise when evaluating the value of a higher education exclusively based on vocational outcomes and financial gains. We need to bear in mind that the pursuit of employment is not the sole thing that makes life worth living. Likewise, it cannot be the only parameter by which we evaluate the significance of a college education. Take, for example, a young graduate from a prestigious business school who landed a role at a major Wall Street investment firm, contributing to multi-billion dollar financial dealings.
[3] By the lights of many economically oriented analyses, this young woman stands as a resounding exemplar of educational triumph. Her immediate post-college employment not only provided her
with a handsome income but also daily challenges that demanded adept critical thinking, problem-solving, and proficient verbal and written communication. Her exceptional performance in these areas undeniably set her apart.[4] She was receiving top-notch evaluations. Her annual salary and bonuses were growing. She was in line for promotions, and her mentors told her that she would rise quickly in the company.Nevertheless, she noticed the absence of a crucial element, one disconnected from financial considerations or the conventional benchmarks of achievement. Her business education had
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equipped her for achievement but had left a void in terms of engaging in work imbued with depth and personal fulfillment.[5] She noticed that the people she worked with were unhappy despite their luxurious preferences for fashion and automobiles. Despite their high earnings, they lacked genuine satisfaction in occupations. Although they appeared successful on the surface, they carried an internal sense of emptiness and a strong desire to engage in meaningful work.
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their [6] When she challenged her colleagues about this, they would say, "Of course I hate my job. Everyone around here does. It's the price we pay to advance. Quitting and pursuing a medical career isn't a viable option. While we yearn for more meaningful work, the lucrative salary is too significant, and quitting is financially impractical."[7] However, this is precisely the path she embarked upon. She resigned from her job, re-enrolled in academic institutions to pursue premedical studies, followed by admission to medical school
and the successful completion of a rigorous medical residency program. All in all, this career change cost her dearly - more than 10 years of her life and literally millions of dollars in additional
educational costs and lost income.[8] But despite the sacrifices, she reaped rewards. Now she finds contentment. She has a job that actually means something to her, where she feels that she is truly making a difference in the lives of other people - the patients she cares for every day. Economically, the last decade of her life has been a ruinous loss, but humanly, it has paid off handsomely.
[9] This story illustrates important lessons about the true worth of a college education. Foremost among these is the realization that the purpose of college transcends mere vocational
preparation. It is not even to develop the requisite skills to compete successfully in an ever-demanding and swiftly transforming international economy.
[10] And let me be clear - I know that many students graduate with crushing debt. On average, the debt of a college graduate in 2012 amounted to close to $30,000, and I personally know many medical students whose debts total over $300,000. No student can afford to ignore the costs of education, and no parents send their child off to college hoping that they will emerge unemployed,or worse yet, unemployable. Statistics concerning job and graduate and professional school placement rates really do matter. And so do statistics concerning starting salaries, continuing
employment and life-time earnings.[11] Our jobs represent an important part of our lives, but we do not live strictly to work. We passionately pursue numerous activities in life, such as marriage, parenthood, socializing, reading,sports, despite receiving no financial compensation.
traveling, gardening, cooking, and [12] At its best, education does not merely provide career training and job placement. It also helps us to find our path in life, by challenging us to examine ourselves, the world around us, and our vision of the kinds of lives and world we hope to build. At its best, education doesn't just prepare us for life - it helps us discover what it means to live, and to develop habits that make life truly
worth living.[13] To put the matter as straightforwardly as possible, worth cannot be fully assessed in purely economic terms. While we can calculate the value of a college education in dollars, doing so omits more than it captures. We are not mere wage earners and wealth creators. We are also citizens and human beings, whose educations can "pay off" in far more important and enduringly
meaningful ways.
1) Which statement identifies the central idea of the text?
A. It's well worth the low cost of an education if you find work that makes you happy and helps others in the process.B. It's well worth the high cost of an education if you find work that makes you happy and helps others in the process.C. While meaningful work is important, not all people can afford to pursue careers that make the happy but leave them struggling financially.